The Washington State's 1979 Involuntary Treatment Act, designed to broaden the laws for involuntary civil commitment to mental hospitals, is examined. Existing statewide data before and after the implementation of this law is used to assess the effect upon demand for and delivery of commitment services, upon the allocation of mental health resources, and upon involuntary commitment decisions. The hypothesis is examined that demand for services, involuntary commitments, and the number of persons committed as gravely disabled and as dangerous to property will increase. It is postulated that an increase in the number of involuntary admissions results in a decline in voluntary admissions and a decline in the patient's length of stay. Under a broader mental health law there is less need for persons to be shifted into the mental health system indirectly. As a result, there is a reduction in the mentally ill offender program. A change is occurring in the client sociodemographic characteristics with an increase in the average age of clients, an increase in the commitment of minority group members, and a decrease in the average socioeconomic status of clients.